My Body Is A Cage
by gimme shelter
Summary: roxanne is found washed up on a beach, alone and with no idea of her past or how she ended up with a bullet in her head,now she has to run for her freedom. jack/oc
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Bird In A Cage

Her eyes opened slowly and burnt in the harsh sunlight. She closed them quickly and tried to part her dry, cracked lips. Her breath caught harshly in her chest and the skin of her face grated against the sand beneath her. A fresh cold wave lapped over her legs and suddenly dark silhouettes blocked the burning light of the sun.

The man stroked a strand of dirty blonde hair off the girls face; she was burnt from the sun and looked close to death.

He tilted her head and gently touched her right temple. Her hair was bloodied and matted; even being in the water had not cleansed the blood from her hair.

His wife sat opposite him and gently dabbed the wound in the girl's head, he watched his wife and couldn't help shuddering to think that had the bullet been closer to this girls temple she would have been killed.

They took her to their new home in Port Royal, she was still unconscious when they had a bed made up for her and laid her in it. When she awoke she had no idea where she was or who they were. In fact she didn't know who she was or what she had been doing that had gotten her shot in the head. She knew she was 15 and her name was Roxanne.

**Ten years later**

Roxanne stood at her window and looked down at the low hum of voices that passed her family's house. Things had changed a lot in Port Royal in the last few years. She watched now as a procession of people, all chained, were led past the house to be imprisoned and finally hanged. She watched them all walk past and begged someone out there to have mercy on them. Her stomach twisted as she saw the last prisoner walk along behind the others, a boy who could be no older than ten, and she squeezed her eyes shut in anger.

She was dressed in her restrictive corset dress and her long blonde hair that now reached beyond her lower back was pulled up into a fashionable style. She accompanied her father Samuel Bennett into town, a large crowd gathered in the town square to watch the latest pirate hangings. Roxanne knew that Samuel Bennett was not her real father, just as she knew that Catherine Bennett had not been her mother. They had never hidden it from her, but she had no idea who her family was or where she came from and they were kind and loved her as if she was their own. Samuel didn't agree with these hangings and knew his wife would have hated them too if she were alive today.

Lord Cutler Beckett stood next to a man who was scratching names off a list, he looked over and smiled at Roxanne, she loathed Beckett and refused to return the smile.

She watched him leave the town square and scowled; her father squeezed her arm,

' Cant look his victims in the eye, coward!' she muttered coldly

' What was that dear?' he said turning to look at her

' I didn't say anything' she said smiling at him

' I'm sorry Roxanne, I did everything I could'

' I know you did' she said smiling at him

' I'm going to go, I cant stand these…hangings' he said quietly, he walked away and left her.

She stood to the side of the square and watched as the first ten to be hanged were led out, she gasped quietly as the small boy was led out last and stood closest to her. He was so young they had to stand him on a bucket to reach the noose. One man at the other end began to fight against his fate and several soldiers dashed over to restrain him. She seized the opportunity and walked over to the man with the list,

' How much for the boy?' she muttered

' I can release him'

' How much for his life?' she dangled a bag full of coins in front of his eyes,

' If lord Beckett found out…' he said looking around

' How would he, small boy like that could easily slip his restraints and run couldn't he?'

' Well…yes I suppose he could but they've all seen him' he said gesturing to the crowd who were now laughing at the pirate who had tried to escape,

' Say you called his name at the wrong time and have him sent back, I'll collect him and you get your money' he hesitated then nodded.

She led the boy away from the square and up to the house; her father looked perplexed as she brought him into the house but agreed to keep him there after hearing his story. His name was Michael, his mother had seven other children and an eight on the way and she couldn't afford to feed him so she sold him. He was bought by a pirate and forced to work on the ship and was thus arrested as a pirate not a slave. She made sure the boy ate heartily and showed him to a room,

' You're too kind hearted, what if Beckett realises who the boy is?' her father said warily,

' Keep him out of sight, I doubt he'll care after tomorrow anyway' she said sadly

' I'm so sorry Roxanne, I never wanted this for you…not him' he said quietly

' Stop blaming yourself'

' But it is my fault, I brought you here to him'

' And you saved my life and gave me a family, without you I'd be long dead' he stroked her hair affectionately,

' You gave your mother and I hope, we couldn't have our own children and then there you were, lost and alone and we both loved you instantly and now I have to lose you'

' You're not losing me'

' He'll never let you back here, he'll keep you locked up like a bird in a cage'

' Then more fool him' she said squeezing her father's hand

' Here, I've been meaning to give you this for a long time' he fiddled around in his coat pocket and pulled out a long silver pendant,

' It's beautiful'

' It's yours, it was the only thing you had on you when we found you on that beach' she held it in her hand and smiled at him. He kissed her forehead and left her alone in the parlour, she could have been wrong but she could have sworn she could feel the pendant pulsing in her hand.


	2. Chapter 2

(Just for those wondering I base Michael on the boy at the start of 'at worlds end' but this time he doesn't get hung ) please review x

Chapter 2: Prison

Roxanne woke up shaking and drenched in cold sweat; her hand pressed against her temple. Her head ached and throbbed and she tried to remember her dream, she had the same dream a lot and always struggled to remember what it was about. But despite all the details being hazy one face always stuck in her mind, she had no idea who the woman was but she always asked Roxanne to come to her.

She got up an looked out of the window, then sun wouldn't rise for a couple of hours yet but she could see Michael down in the garden. She pulled on a robe and walked down to the garden, Michael was humming under his breath and looking out to the sea,

' You couldn't sleep either?' she said smiling and sitting beside him, he gave her a small smile and she smoothed some of his brown hair out of his eyes,

' I heard you talking in your sleep a minute ago' he mumbled, Michael always mumbled or spoke quietly, it was as if his few years at sea had aged him decades,

' Oh! What…what did I say?'

' You kept saying a name'

' Can you remember it?' he shook his head and looked up at her almost fearfully,

' No I'm sorry…your voice was quite muffled and…please don't beat me'

' What!' she stared at him, she hadn't expected him to say that,

' Why would I beat you Michael?'

' Because…well…. they used to beat me'

' It's different now Michael, no ones going to beat you' he edged towards her slowly and wrapped his thin arms around her hips, his head rested against her stomach. Roxanne looked at him for a moment before wrapping an arm around his shoulder; it was strange for both of them to be hugged.

Michael stared at Roxanne in the dress and tilted his head to the side slightly; she smirked,

' Doesn't suit me does it?' she said referring to the cream, heavily embroidered dress she was to wear that evening,

' Strangely no, I mean you look pretty but sort of…' Michael struggled to finish his sentence,

' Wrong?'

' Well…yes' he said shrugging

' Like I don't belong in dresses like this?' he nodded again

' Probably because I don't' he looked at her in bewilderment and she explained her life that she could remember, waking up on a beach, the Bennett's taking her in, her impending marriage that evening. She left out the part about the bullet lodged in her head. Michael listened with a slight look of awe on his face,

'So you could be anything, a kidnapped princess who escaped or a pirate queen!' she laughed,

' I doubt it, I've never handled a sword in my life'

' I have I'll teach you to fight, then you could kill your future husband and come back here to us'

' For all of an hour before they led me away to be hung for murder' she said laughing, Michaels smile faded and she wrapped an arm round him,

' I will come back, I'll come to see you'

' Are you happy?' she stared at him strangely,

' That's an odd question'

' I think it's simple actually, yesterday I was unhappy, today I am happy and that's because of you'

' Ok well honestly…I cant remember ever being truly happy, don't get me wrong I love my father and I loved my mother but it doesn't help when you have unanswered questions and no idea who can answer them, I sound ungrateful don't I?'

' No, it would bother me if I had no idea who I was, but then again with my past sometimes I'd quite like to forget, maybe not knowing is better?'

' You're too smart for a ten year old' she said smiling, but secretly his words had hit her hard, what if it was better not to know?

The evening came far too quickly for her and before she knew it she was laced into the awful cream dress and in the carriage with her father. Michael was there looking most unlike himself, dressed in finery and wearing a brown curled wig, he no longer resembled the boy from the gallows.

They arrived at the large house and Roxanne swallowed nervously; her throat felt drier than the Sahara.

In a matter of hours she would be married, the sun was unusually hot for this time in the evening and would set in a couple of hours. Her father stepped out of the carriage followed by Michael, a gloved hand was there to help her and she found herself looking into the cold pale blue eyes of Cutler Beckett.

She tried to shield Michael from his gaze and allowed him to escort her into the house, his hand was stiff in hers and she swore his hand was slowly freezing hers.

He spent most of the party bragging about being made a lord and how he had bested the infamous pirate Jack Sparrow,

' It's _captain_ Jack Sparrow' Michael muttered beside her, Roxanne smirked at him. The guests mingled and drank and laughed, Roxanne and Michael walked around the house and Roxanne felt a crushing sense of fear. This house would become her prison in a matter of hours and suddenly she wanted to run. Michael seized her hand, she looked down at him about to speak but saw he was pressing a finger to his lips. She closed her mouth and he pointed to the door next to him and they both listened,

' Samuel the boy went missing from the gallows and today you have a boy the same age walking around with you, that is highly suspicious don't you think?' Beckett sneered,

' Or a coincidence?' she smiled at her fathers defiance,

' Don't mock me Samuel, lets not forget in two hours I marry your daughter, you'd like her to have a comfortable, happy marriage wouldn't you?'

' Well that's not likely is it considering she's marrying a man she can't stand'

' I could send you to the gallows Bennett, nothing would give me greater pleasure'

' Go ahead, I don't fear death Beckett, I face death in a matter of weeks anyway so I'd probably thank you for speeding up the inevitable' Roxanne winced, she knew he was dying but she hadn't realised he had so little time left,

' Is that or is it not the boy that was supposed to hang yesterday?' Beckett almost shouted angrily,

' It is not, I don't know what happened to the boy you're missing but I hope he's far away from here' Michael squeezed Roxanne's hand tightly and she pulled him away from the door. She walked down the hallway to the room where she was to finish getting herself ready for the ceremony. Minutes later there was a knock at the door and her father walked in looking exhausted, Michael followed him and closed the door,

' Roxanne?'

' Yes father?'

' I know you were listening, Michael told me…listen to me carefully' she nodded

' I want you to run'

' What!'

' Run, get away from port royal, take Michael and run'

' I cant…what about you?' she said standing up and walking over to him, he smiled and pulled her silver pendant out of his pocket and placed it over her head,

' I thought you might want this…now please run'

' What about you, I can't just leave you?'

' Yes you can, I got to spend ten years with you and watch you blossom into a beautiful woman, knowing you are far away from him is the only thing that will make me happy now' he gripped her hands tightly and she shook her head,

' Roxanne please…do this for me, run and take Michael with you, get far away please'.

Roxanne threw a long black coat over a simple grey day dress as Michael removed the wig and coat he'd been wearing. She gripped her father in a tight embrace and moved towards the window. Michael went first and she turned to see her father smiling, though he had tears in his eyes before she climbed over the balcony and disappeared.

**please review :) xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Roxy Girl

Roxanne wasn't sure what to do or what her father would do to get them a head start but with every step she took she felt as though a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She racked her brains as they walked and she could only think of one person who could help them now and with the discretion they desperately needed.

They arrived at the docks, the sun was beginning to set and it was casting a blood red glow across the horizon as they walked down to a small boat. A man was on deck coiling up some loose rope, he paused and looked up as he heard their footsteps,

' He convinced you then?' he said with a small smile

' Nathaniel I need your help'

' I daresay you do, I never thought you'd do it Roxanne' Nathaniel was an old friend of her fathers he had short but messy greying hair and some of the kindest blue eyes you'd ever see. He used to captain a ship that brought people from England to live in port royal, it was he that brought her mother and father to Port Royal when they found her. Now he preferred a quieter life, he ran a small fishing business that wasn't as small as he thought it to be. He dealt with several towns around Port Royal including Tortuga,

' How did you know we'd be coming?'

' Well I didn't know you'd be a _we_ but he told me you would come and I was to get you away from port royal as soon as possible, tried to pay me can you believe that? I told him Roxanne is like family to me and if it gets her away from that Beckett idiot I'm more than happy to do it for nothing'.

They boarded Nathaniel's small boat and he cast off as soon as they were on deck, she had no idea where they were going but she felt a sense of freedom. It was a feeling she experienced whenever she was at sea, few times as that had been,

' Nathaniel, where exactly are we going?' she said as she walked to stand by him at the helm,

' Tortuga, I can get you there without any questions being raised, I've got business in Tortuga tonight though I've got to tell you being at sea fills me with dread now'

' Why? You love the sea'

' I did but all this gossip about Davy Jones being at large and worse than ever has us all spooked, even the most infamous pirate is in lock down on dry land at the moment'

' Who's Davy Jones?' she said puzzled,

' You don't know about Davy Jones and the dead mans chest!' Michael said wide-eyed,

' No should I?' Michael told her the story of Davy Jones, the heart, and the chest that contained the heart, the myths surrounding it and about his ship the Dutchman,

' But the best bit is the kraken' Michael said enjoying telling the story,

' Kraken?' she said turning to look at Nathaniel, who was eyeing Michael with pride,

' Boys knows his stories and he's telling the truth Roxanne, rumour has it that the infamous captain Jack Sparrow recently met his end with the kraken and is in Davy Jones' locker now'

' No! Nothing could take down captain jack' Michael said, Roxanne was surprised to hear a twinge of pain in his voice,

' Sadly the rumours appear to be true, took the pearl as well' she looked at their faces both looked grieved by the news and she decided not to push the subject anymore,

' Oh I almost forgot!' Michael shouted brightly after minutes of silence passed,

' What?' she said in surprise, the excitement in his voice had nearly knocked her overboard,

' That name you were saying in your sleep, I heard one of Beckett's men say it tonight at the party its Tia…something'

' Tia Dalma?' Nathaniel said quietly

' That's it, how did you know?'

' She's as famous as most pirates round here, she's wise some say magical, didn't know you'd met her Roxanne?'

' If I have I don't remember it'

' Well if her names cropping up in your dreams I suggest you make her your next port of call' Nathaniel said smiling

' Have you met her?' Michael asked him excitedly

' Just the once, she told me start up a fishing business as soon as I got back here and great fortune would come my way, got that right didn't she?' he smiled broadly with pride and Roxanne looked across the darkening sea to the dim lights of Tortuga.

They arrived in Tortuga, the shouts and music drifted down to them from the town,

' Right we need to get you to Tia Dalma, you should be able to do it on horseback but you'll need a boat to get to her unless wading through a snake infested river doesn't bother you?'

' I think I'd prefer a boat' she said smiling at him

' Well I think I can arrange that, might even be able to get you a companion that can get you to her, probably wont go all the way up the river with you but it'll still help' she smiled and hugged him,

' What would I have done without you?'

' Unspeakable things I imagine' he said laughing

' Now stay here in this inn, I'll be back soon and Roxanne…try and stay out of trouble' she nodded and walked into the inn.

She sat upstairs in a room with Michael, he'd fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow but she was too full of adrenaline to sleep. Nathaniel had been gone an hour and she was starting to get that uneasy feeling that usually leads to full blown panic. She jumped to her feet as she heard footsteps creaking slowly along the corridor outside, she waited trying to keep her breath shallow but had to clap her hands over her mouth when the doorknob turned. She couldn't begin to explain the relief she felt when Nathaniel walked in,

' Oh thank god, right room at last, can't tell you the things I just witnessed in the last three rooms I walked into by mistake' he said rubbing his forehead

' Is it all sorted?' she said pushing some stray strands of hair out of her face

' Indeed, I've got you a guide and he's going to take you by boat the whole way, much quicker than going by land' he smiled and picked up the sleeping Michael,

' I have no idea how to even try and repay you?' she said smiling

' Stay alive and keep in touch that's all I ask' he said smiling back

' I swear, you will…you will look after father wont you, I don't like thinking of him being alone and…'

' I promise you he'll be alright, now let' go we need to get as much distance between you and port royal as possible'.

They rushed through the dark streets to the docks and waited in the shadows,

' He's late' Nathaniel said his eyes darting in every direction, suddenly Roxanne froze she saw someone but she knew this wasn't her guide. The bright red uniform of a port royal guard was unmistakable even in dim light, the man saw them and raised his gun, Roxanne shook with fear, it was over she would be dragged back to port royal before she even got a good chance to run. The soldier opened his mouth to shout and a shot rang out, a fight breaking out in the street between two sailors thankfully covered it. The soldier dropped to the ground and the figure behind him kicked him off the dock into the sea before walking towards them,

' Thank god…Roxanne this is captain Grant Teague, he's going to take you to Tia Dalma' Nathaniel said the relief in his tone evident, Roxanne looked into the kohl ringed eyes of captain Teague whose face broke into a wide grin,

' Hello Roxy girl'.

Review please you lovely people x


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Wade In The Water

Roxanne gaped at the man who was now holstering his gun. Nathaniel sighed and stepped round her,

' Perfect timing as always' he said smiling at Teague, Teague simply nodded and gave a sly smile back.

They walked down the docks and followed Teague onto his ship, Roxanne hugged Nathaniel goodbye and her eyes began to sting with tears,

' Hey, no tears this is what he wants remember that?' she nodded and smiled and stood on the deck until he disappeared into the darkness.

She was shown to Teague's cabin where she sat and waited for him to inevitably join her. Michael came in first laughing and eating a ripe red apple; Teague followed him in and sat opposite Roxanne,

' You don't remember me do you?' he said quietly as he began strumming a guitar,

' Erm…sorry but no…do you know me?' he nodded and continued to look down at the guitar; though his skill told her he didn't need to,

' So…who am I…I mean who was I?'

' Cant tell you that' he said still in his quiet tone

' Not very helpful is it'

' You need to discover that for yourself Roxy if I told you what would be the point of this journey?'

' Well the point is to get away from Port Royal so…technically you could tell me?' she said tilting her head slightly to the side and staring at him, he smirked and put the guitar down,

' Believe me…you wouldn't believe I word I told you even if I was to tell you so it makes no sense for me to waste my breath…better to discover these things for yourself darlin' he smiled and she was ready to argue with him but there was something in his eyes that told her not to.

They were silent for a while and Roxanne began to nervously play with the pendant her father had given her before she'd run,

' Can't believe you still have that, thought that would have been lost to the sea' Teague said looking at the pendant in her hand,

' I suppose you know who gave it to me but you're not going to tell me?' she said smiling,

' No that I can tell you, it was your mothers' she looked up at him and he gave her a small, kind smile,

' It was?' he nodded,

' Given to her by your father, let Tia have a look at it when you get to her'

' Why?'

' Have a little trust Roxy girl' he said smiling again.

They walked up on deck as the sun was rising and Michael ran off to help the other crewmembers,

' He's a good lad that one' Teague said smiling

' Yes he is' she said smiling

' Told me you saved him from the noose?'

' I did;

' Why was that?'

' Why did I save him?' he nodded

' Well…he's just a child, he doesn't deserve to be hung, in truth none of them deserved to be hung but I couldn't buy all of them…mores the pity'

' Why'd you really pick him…it's not just because he's only a lad?' she looked at Teague and had a horrible sensation that captain Teague could read minds,

' Something just…just told me to help him' Teague nodded and looked back out to sea,

' Keep him close…keep him safe' he muttered before walking away.

Teague ordered two of his crew to row them up the river to Tia Dalma's, he whispered quietly to Michael who smiled and nodded before climbing into the boat. He paused and looked at Roxanne and smiled,

' You'll have to get out and wade through the river to her hut…bloody superstitious cowards' he sighed gesturing to the two crewmen in the small boat,

' Are they scared of her?'

' No…more wary of her' she nodded and was about to get in the boat when he gripped her arm tightly with strength she didn't think he possessed,

' Keep it secret' he said as he reached out slowly and held the chain of her pendant between two fingers, she stared at him and her stomach twisted with nerves,

' You're not going to tell me why I have to are you?' she said giving him a shaky smile, Teague smiled and shook his head gently before squeezing her free hand between his and walking back to the helm.

The two crewmembers looked around nervously as they rowed up the river; every now and then Roxanne could see faces peeping out at them. The further up the river they got, the more people seemed to appear, they held candles and were humming quietly, as though they were mourning,

' It's for Captain Jack' Michael whispered quietly,

' Never another like old Jack' one of the crewmen muttered as he removed his hat,

' His crew will be on their way here soon no doubt seeking answers from…her' the other said and his shipmate nodded in agreement. Roxanne was hoping they'd beat them, she didn't think she could handle a grieving pirate crew descending on them.

The boat stopped and she turned to see a hut elevated up on wooden beams in the river, she thanked the crewmen and gingerly climbed out of the boat before helping Michael out. She kept her arms around his waist to hoist him up, she was chest deep in the water and he was shorter than her.

She waded through the murky green water and tried not to panic when she felt things sliver past her legs. Michael had moved and clung to her back as she pushed her way through the water until they reached the small deck at the bottom of the hut.

She swung Michael round and helped him onto the deck the pushed herself up onto the slimy wooden boards. She looked up at the door and turned to Michael, he gave her a small smile before walking up the slippery stairs. Roxanne took a deep breath and followed him. The slight chill in the air cut through her damp clothes and pricked at her skin and both she and Michael slipped several times before they got to the door.

They paused and looked at each other, the door swung open gently and they both jumped as Tia Dalma greeted them,

' I've been expectin you' she said smiling, Michael recoiled slightly at the sight of her blackened teeth and she stood aside to let them in.

Review please my lovelies x


	5. Chapter 5

Review please people, do it for Captain Jack x

Chapter 5: Tia And Tears

They walked into the dimly lit hut and tried to dodge the various trinkets that were hanging from the rafters,

' Sit' she said closing the door and walking past them, Roxanne and Michael sat at the table in the centre of the room and Tia Dalma sat at the head of the table, she stared at Roxanne before smiling,

' You look like her' she said in a low voice

' Who…my mother?' Tia nodded and leant across the table and pulled the chain round Roxanne neck gently until she held the pendant in her hand,

' May I?' she asked, Roxanne pulled the chain over her neck and handed it to Tia,

' This is special' she said running her thumb over the pendant

' So I've been told' Roxanne said as she watched Michael put his head on the table and close his eyes,

' You have many questions…but you must find the answers yourself'

' Been told that as well' Tia Dalma smiled, her eyes twinkled even in the dim light,

' All answers will come to you, you have a great destiny ahead of you'

' And no idea how to get there' she said solemnly

' How far would you go to know the truth?'

' Look I'm not who I was…I'm terrified to be out there by myself, I cant defend myself and I have Michael to think of'

' You're still you'

' Well I'm pretty useless'

' No…you just need to wake up Roxanne…go to Singapore'

' Singapore! Why?'

' Singapore holds answers for you and if you're worried about defending yourself an old friend there will help you' she rubbed her face, her exhaustion was creeping up on her now. She watched Tia Dalma examine the pendant curiously; Tia Dalma began to swing the chain in a circle till the pendant crashed against the edge of the table,

' What are you doing!' Roxanne said jumping to her feet, she paused and stared down at the shards of silver that were scattered on the table,

' It was a fake?' she said quietly sitting down again, she tried to keep the pain in her voice silent but even she knew a bit had crept in there,

' No…not fake…masked' Tia Dalma said raising her arm to show Roxanne what now hung in place of the silver pendant. A square gem the size of large coin hung in its place, it was a peachy colour but so clear Roxanne could see straight through it. Roxanne gaped at it as it glinted in the light, and Tia Dalma smiled again as she watched Roxanne's reaction,

' How did you know…you did it, you masked it?' Tia Dalma nodded and smiled wider showing her blackened teeth again,

' Before I gave it back to you I masked it in silver to stop people stealing it'

' What is it?' Roxanne said stroking a finger over the gem that now lay on the table,

' It is made from mermaid tears' Tia Dalma said picking the chain up and placing it back over Roxanne's head,

' You must keep it secret and keep it safe, no one must have it but you'

' Can you tell me anything…just a hint anything from my past?' Roxanne asked her pleadingly,

' Go to Singapore, find Shen Tao and he will help you find the answers you seek'

' How will I find him?'

' Chances are…him find you' she said smiling.

Roxanne picked Michael up and lifted him onto her back, her arms and legs were aching and she wanted to sleep but she didn't want to stay here if a whole crew would be arriving soon,

' Wait!' she turned, slowly due to the added weight of Michael, Tia Dalma walked over and placed a chain over Roxanne's head,

' Thank you but I have quite a few accessories now, this may be overdoing it' she said smirking,

' Don't lose these, you'll need them' Tia Dalma held up the two keys on the end of the chain, one was gold and the end was square shaped and swirled, the other was almost black and larger. The metal curled ornately and Roxanne stared at it, it looked almost familiar to her,

' The gold one you will need in Singapore, the black one for where you go after'

' Where am I going after Singapore?'

' All in good time' Tia Dalma said smirking.

She waded through the water again and started to panic when it began to lap at her chin, Michael fidgeted on her back nervously,

' Any plans for how to get out of here?' he said nervously

' No…wish she'd told me that' Roxanne said, they both looked up when they saw a dim light coming towards them,

' Who is it?' Michael whispered in her ear, she shook her head and stayed quiet, they watched until the light got closer and both sighed with relief.

Teague helped them both into the small boat and his crewman began to row back to the ship,

' Thought you were leaving?' she said shivering

' Never said I was going anywhere' he said giving her his trademark, all knowing grin.

She was glad to climb into a bed, she lay back and stared at the keys Tia Dalma had given her and willed her mind to conjure up something, anything to help her remember. After an hour she just felt even more tired and gave up, Michael was snoring lightly in the bed next to her and she finally gave in and let sleep take her.

Tia Dalma sat at her table and clutched her shells and rocks close to her mouth as she muttered under her breath before she threw them down on the table,

' That be for me or for your previous visitor?' the hoarse voice muttered from upstairs

' Rough waters ahead' she muttered

' Aye there usually is, who was she?'

' Who?'

' That girl that was just here?'

' How much did you hear?'

' Heard her leaving, what did she want a love potion?'

' Do you think me a conjuror of cheap tricks…do not forget what I can do' silence filled the hut once more, but not for long.

Soon the crew of the now gone black pearl descended upon her, all grieving in their own way for the loss of a ship, a captain and a friend. They made their toasts to jack but the atmosphere was dark,

' If there was anything that could be done to bring him back…' Will murmured to Elizabeth,

' Would you do it? What would you do?' she said looking at Will and Elizabeth

' Would you sail to the ends of the earth and beyond to fetch back witty Jack and him precious pearl?' one by one yes's and aye's filled the room,

' Alright, but if you going to brave the weird and haunted shores at worlds end then you will need a captain who knows those waters' they all turned at the sound of heavy boots thumping on the wooden stairs. Slowly they all edged closer to see who it was,

' So tell me…what's become of my ship?'


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Why Don't You Know Me?

Roxanne stared out at the horizon, the thunder clapped and the lightening flashed violently and she shook slightly as they headed straight towards it,

' Rough waters tonight' Teague mused to himself as he gripped the helm,

' I'm beginning to see a pattern emerging' Roxanne said yawning

' How so?'

' Just a feeling that this is all going to be rough, hasn't exactly been smooth sailing so far has it?' he seemed to ponder her statement for a moment before grinning and resuming his duties at the helm.

The ship rocked viciously all night as if it was trying to cast all its inhabitants into the dark swirling waters beneath them. She sat in Teague's cabin and took the drink he offered her,

' How come you're not afraid to sail?' she said as he sat down

' Don't follow you Roxy girl?' he said

' Well all I've heard about before and after I got on this ship is Davy Jones and the kraken, if he's destroying everyone he can out on open water why are you still sailing?'

' Because he ain't looking for us and from what I've heard he's now under the control of the east India trading company'

' How? He doesn't seem the type to take orders from them'

' Got something of his though haven't they'

' What did they get?'

' His heart…so they say'

' It's true then? He really cut out his heart and put it in a chest' Teague nodded and Roxanne swallowed a mouthful of drink slowly, silently praying that they wouldn't cross Jones' path.

Two nights later they reached Singapore, it was dark and silent as the ship crept into the dock and Roxanne was hit by a large wave of fresh unease,

' I don't like this' she muttered to Teague

' It's standard now Roxy girl, all pirates will be hung, therefore all pirates will hide when on dry land, luckily you ain't looking for a pirate' he said smiling

' I've still got no idea how to find this…Shen Tao?'

' Well if it were me I'd go get some decent food then worry about it, the boy can come with me, much safer for him and you'

' Where will you take him?'

' Somewhere safe where Beckett cant get him, until you come back'

' As long as he's safe and you promise you wont let him out of your sight'

' On me lives Roxy girl…now go on time for you to go' she stared at the retreating figure of Teague,

' Lives?' she muttered.

Roxanne pulled the hooded cloak up around her face a bit more as she walked through the streets. The whole place was silent and she didn't see one other person as she walked through the winding back streets. She had no idea where she was going but at the same time she didn't feel lost; it was altogether very confusing for her.

She was ready to give up when she saw the familiar uniform of a military guard from Port Royal up ahead. Roxanne ducked back into a doorway to hide and panic began to take hold of her. She was trying to figure out an escape route when the door opposite her in the alleyway opened, a short, middle aged Chinese man stood staring at her. He had been ready to throw a bucket of dirty water out into the street but now just stood staring at her as though he'd seen a ghost. He gestured with his hand for her to pull the hood of her cloak down; she did and as she did his mouth formed a small shocked 'O' shape. He looked up the alleyway to check it was clear before beckoning her inside. He closed the door and led her upstairs to a small room, he offered her a seat and continued to stare at her,

' I don't believe it…you're dead' he murmured

' Are you Shen Tao?'

' Of course I am…why don't you know me?' he stared at her with a puzzled expression and walked over to her. Roxanne sat still and stared at him willing her mind to conjure up some form of recognition. He leant down and cupped her face in his hands, his eyes travelled over her face until he paused at her right eye. He removed one of his hands and pushed her hair back to reveal the small, pale pink scar on her right temple. She could feel his hands shaking as he released her face and watched as he sat down as though he'd been drained of all his energy,

' She found you' he whispered looking up at her with haunted eyes

' Who?' she said leaning forward

' Not the time…we have work to do Roxanne'

' Like what?' she hated the sound of this

' Can you remember anything?' she shook her head and he sighed,

' A lot of work…come with me' he stood and she followed him.

They walked for a few hours through a small forest; the tree's were thin and almost white and the whole place was haunting to her. He stopped and turned to her as they reached two large wooden doors that were covered in dying vines,

' You have the key?' he said quietly, she paused then she nodded and pulled the chain from round her neck, he looked at the gold one and nodded but she couldn't help noticing the small wincing look he made when he saw the gold keys darker companion.

They stepped in and he immediately locked the doors behind them; it was like an abandoned temple. She stared at the smooth stone courtyard, the small rooms to the side with their sliding doors and the tall flight of earthen steps that led to a small stone building at the top,

' Well…this looks nice' she said unconvincingly

' No one has been in years…but we don't have time to dwell or fix it up, I hope you slept well last night because -'

' I know we've got a lot of work to do' she said rolling her eyes, she could have screamed when he hit the back of her leg with the walking stick he'd been using,

' What was that for?' she shouted angrily

' Your insolence, it's like starting all over again' he said sighing.

She began to dislike Shen, he had sent her straight into a side room where she had of course broken the sliding door to which he had tutted and sighed. She had changed into black loose trousers, flat shoes and a black kimono top and then Shen had started.

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Different

She ran back up the long flight of dirty crumbling steps for the twentieth time that morning. When she reached the bottom, not gasping for breath as much as she had been the night before, Shen nodded and called her over. He handed her a wooden stick, it was thick and just a bit bigger than her, he picked up one himself and turned to face her,

' Now you are not as unfit we must move on with teaching you to fight and defend yourself' she wanted to throw the stick at him and run but she simply nodded, she was learning quickly not to irritate Shen because it usually ended with her being hit with a stick.

He moved towards her and lashed out, he instantly hit her arm and she cursed loudly the way she'd heard Nathaniel curse. Shen didn't smirk instead he moved back to his original stance and waited for her to compose herself.

After an hour she had vastly improved, some of the movements felt familiar and came naturally to her and she was able to deflect Shen's blows.

They continued to fight, Roxanne twisted to avoid Shen and he struck her across the back. She didn't scream or curse, this time she was silent. She turned and launched her foot right between her stick breaking it in two and swiftly advanced on him. She kicked his stick away and crossed her own over his neck, one push down and she would cut off his air supply. Finally Shen smiled.

He spent most of the night teaching her hand-to-hand combat, she got kicked in the face a few times but then again so did Shen.

He allowed her two hours sleep before waking her at dawn, she reluctantly sat up and the full impact of yesterday hit her. Her body ached as she tried to stretch,

' Time to move on from child's play' he said indicating for her to follow him.

They walked up the steps to the small building, she handed him the key and he opened the black wooden doors.

They knelt opposite each other, the candles burned around the room and the heat made her feel drowsy,

' I prepared for this day…I hoped it wouldn't come to this but I wanted you to be ready if it did' he stood up and pushed the stone top off of what Roxanne had assumed was just a bench. She stood up and helped him lift the wooden box out of its stone tomb and set it down. Shen picked up the gold key again and unlocked the box,

' I spent a year making this for you…I wanted you to have the best, it is partly my fault after all'

' What was your fault?'

' Roxanne you must be patient the answers will come to you…always remember patience' she nodded and stood back as he lifted out a long object covered with a black cloth.

They knelt back down and he looked up at her, she couldn't believe she could see tears in his eyes,

' I swore to never make these again…I would not help death…but you…you were special, you were very special to me Roxanne…my little yellow haired warrior' she looked up and smiled,

' I remember that!' he stared at her

' You used to call me your yellow haired warrior' she said, he smiled broadly

' The only girl I ever trained…the best I ever trained…this is for you' he removed the black cloth to reveal a long samurai sword encased in a black sheath. Her moth gaped slightly as he unsheathed the sword and even in the dim light it glinted brightly,

' I trust you to use this wisely, that is the only reason I broke my oath and made this for you…when I thought you had died I swore no one else would get their hands on it, so I put it here' she lay the sheath down and inspected his own handy work,

' I can honestly say this, out of all my years, is the best sword I ever created. It is light but strong and sharp, you could cut a person in half in one swipe' he picked up the casing and delicately placed the sword back inside, a slight metallic chink filled the air as he did.

She smiled at him as he handed her the sword, it was like being part of a prestigious ceremony and she felt honoured,

' Now, these are for you as well…you'll be no good fighting in a dress or those rags' he pulled a tied up bundle from a red and gold bag and passed them to her. He showed her to a chamber through some double doors behind him and she silently celebrate the sight of a steaming bath.

She climbed into the hot, milky waters of the bath and felt her skin tingle. Shen had called it the healing bath; she understood why now she was in it. The water seemed to ease her aches and she reclined down letting the water take her.

She wrapped herself in the long white kimono gown and stared at herself in a large mirror on the wall, it occurred to her that she had avoided mirrors for a long time. Her appearance had been taken care of by someone else at her father's home; she'd never really cared what she looked like.

She let the kimono fall to the ground and looked at herself, her body shaped curved in a dramatic hourglass shape but she was more toned than curvy. She had breasts though, quite ample ones when they weren't being crushed by a corset. Her hair trailed right down to her lower back, free of being styled in tight ringlets for a few days and with the help of the bath water it had relaxed into softer more natural waves.

She stared at it and picked up a knife, it was a hindrance, it had been annoying her the whole time she'd been training with Shen. Still a part of her couldn't bear to cut it all off, she settled for cutting it down till it reached the middle of her back.

She untied the bundle Shen had given her and began pulling on the clothes; she pulled on tight black trousers that clung to her skin and pulled the red undergarment on over her head, tying it where she needed to. Lastly she pulled on a black tunic; well it was a cross between a tunic and a knee length dress. It was black and it crossed over her body to buckle at her right side. It was slashed into three thick strips to allow her to move easily and it was tight. It still felt free to her though; it didn't restrict her breathing like a corset.

She walked out to find Shen patiently waiting for her; he stared at her and smiled,

' You look more like yourself' he said as he twiddled her wavy hair in his fingers,

' I feel different' she said

' Bad different?'

' No not bad…just different' he smiled

' Now…attachments' he knelt down and passed her a pair of dull black boots, they were flat and inexplicably comfortable. He strapped a harness around her left ankle before she put her boots on and once she had the boots on he slipped a knife into it,

' Just in case' he said patting her leg where the knife was.

She buckled another harness round her waist that allowed her to keep a gun harnessed to her upper right thigh,

' All these pirates keeping guns at their waists…do they not know it restricts their movements' he said with exasperation.

Finally he reached back into the wooden chest and pulled out a red bundle,

' This belonged to your mother, she left it here when she first brought you to me…she told me to keep it here for you' he untied it and let the long red coat unfurl itself.

They walked back through the woods to the town, Roxanne had her sword from Shen strapped to her back and he once again walked with his long walking stick. He led her through the back alleyways of Singapore until they reached a small dock.

Review please peeps x


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Worlds End

They stood waiting in the shadows; Singapore was eerie to her. It was broad daylight but they must have been the only two people out in the street, Shen had been right everyone was really scared. Even worse they were scared of the man who she had jilted at the alter only days ago. She sometimes wondered what would happen if he saw her now and then forced herself no to think about it, she didn't want to know in fact she never wanted to lay eyes on him again.

The time they spent waiting was awful, she'd been fine while she had things to occupy her mind but now there was nothing to distract her. She thought about her father and wondered if he was ok? She wondered if Nathaniel had been found out for helping her? She thought about Michael and hoped Teague was looking after him, but mostly her mind was occupied with what was coming next.

She stood next to Shen at the helm, he had managed to obtain a small ship for them and they were now sailing out to open water. There were only three other men helping to crew the ship and they didn't say a word, they just did their duty. She wondered if they knew where they were going when they accepted this job?

' Are you afraid?' Shen murmured as he looked out to the horizon

' Yes…mostly because I don't know what to expect'

' No one knows what to expect, all I can tell you is you will be challenged and you will be scared'

' What part of that was supposed to make me feel better?' Shen smiled weakly

' You're starting to sound like your old self…go, sleep you'll need your strength'

' Again with the encouragement…you know you really are overly positive you should consider tuning it down a bit' she said as she walked below deck.

She wasn't sure how long she slept but she needed to sleep, she hadn't realised how draining the last few days had been on her. She rubbed her face and pushed the blanket off her, the cold chill hit her and she grabbed the long red coat that had once been her mothers. She wrapped it around herself and trudged up the steps. Shen was alone at the helm; the crew had obviously departed for a few hours rest. She looked out into the pitch-black sky and tried to find where the sky ended and the dark waters began,

' Beautiful…for such a treacherous place' Shen observed as a few flakes of snow began to fall,

' Are we close?'

' Oh yes…not long now'

' Are you going to tell me why I have to go here or are you going to keep me guessing like everyone else?'

' You ask questions you know the answers to and it's answers you will receive when we get there'

' Are all pirates so cryptic?' Shen smirked and tugged his black cloak around himself

' I cannot tell you what awaits you there…it is different for everyone'

' Have you been?'

' Once…I never thought I'd get away from there'

' What was it like for you?'

' I saw the faces of the people whose blood was on my hands…I felt their pain, their anger and when I left I swore to never feel that again'

' Is that when you made your oath to stop creating the best swords in the world?' he nodded

' Really spooked you then?' he nodded again

' Don't think this will be easy…you will learn things about yourself that you wished could stay unknown, you will feel and see things you'd give your life to forget…it is a feared place for a reason Roxanne' she wanted to apologise to him, Shen seemed to think she had been making light about the situation but a sudden lurch made them both stop. The boat swept quickly through the dark sea as if it was being forcefully pulled, she glanced at Shen and suddenly the boat rocked violently.

The crew were on deck in seconds looking ahead and shouting to each other, they grabbed at ropes and tried in vain to control the ship.

Roxanne stumbled to edge and looked ahead, even in the darkness she could see the drop ahead of them and her stomach tightened.

She ran back to Shen at the helm, he was trying to steer the ship but the ship seemed to have other ideas,

' Let go' Roxanne said, he stared at her in surprise before giving her a small smile and releasing his grip on the helm,

' Let her run free to worlds end' he murmured as the helm spun of its own will.

Roxanne opened her eyes; the sea washed a fresh cool wave over her as she lifted her head to look around. No Shen, no crew and no ship. The remnants of the ship were washing up on the beach around her; she stood up and looked down at herself,

' Hmm, no damage…and no coat…where's my coat?' she tuned and looked around but no flash of red caught her eye,

' Dammit…I liked that coat…why am I talking to myself ?'

' This place does strange things to you' she spun round to see a small girl staring at her.

She realised where she was, she'd known from the second she'd opened her eyes but she had secretly hoped she was wrong. She remembered going over the edge, the ship teetered for a moment before plummeting; the crew had abandoned the ship before it could go over. It had just been Shen and her at the end,

' Who are you…you seem familiar?' she said to the little girl, the girl smiled and continued to stare at her before finally speaking,

' Don't you remember me Roxanne?'

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	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Tested

Roxanne stared at the girl, who just continued to smile at her in a knowingly smug way,

' Look I don't remember a lot of things and if I am where I think I am then you're not even real…so there!' she began to walk along the beach away from the girl

' I'm very real' she turned around and the girl stood right behind her

' The who are you and what do you want?'

' I think the better question is what do you want?' the little girl said

' I want to find my friend' Roxanne said as he began walking away again

' He's not your concern now…he's done his time' she didn't smile when she said this and Roxanne's stomach lurched,

' So I have to serve a...a sentence is it my time now?

' No you were never supposed to come here…it was a very short trip but you left a lot of baggage behind' Roxanne pushed her damp hair out of her face and stared at the little girl. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed it before, the hair colour, the eye colour it all matched,

' You're…you're me aren't you?' the girl nodded and smiled brightly

' The part you've forgotten'

' Are you here to torment me?'

' No…more to guide you, change into this please' the girl handed her a white bundle and turned around. Roxanne pulled her clothes off and folded them into a pile she then unfolded the white bundle. It was a long sheer dress, it looked like one of the dresses Roxanne had seen women wear in a Greek play she'd been to with her father. She tied it at the waist and the girl turned around, Roxanne was glad it was just the two of them, she was very aware of how the dress was almost see through,

' Ready to begin?' the girl said, Roxanne nodded reluctantly

' Lead on ' the girl smiled and took Roxanne's hand as she led her along the beach.

With every step she took she began to feel a huge wave of confused feelings hit her,

' Is this all me…what I did?'

' Those feelings you're getting aren't you…you're not the only person here you know' the girl said tugging her along. Roxanne continued to follow her and stopped when the girl stopped,

' This is for you' she pointed to a wide stretch of pale sand, it was like a desert and as much as she strained her eyes Roxanne couldn't see anything waiting for her,

' A patch of sand?' she said sceptically

' Come on' the girl pulled her towards the sand and Roxanne suddenly wanted to run, at least her mind told her to run, her feet just kept moving towards the desert.

They walked across the pale sand and the girl suddenly stopped and released Roxanne's hand,

' Do you want to remember?' the girl said quietly, Roxanne hesitated then nodded, the girl smiled and suddenly the sand around her began to swallow Roxanne up. The girl didn't move as much as Roxanne pleaded for her help, she didn't even flinch.

Roxanne felt the sand crushing her, squeezing her until she felt as though she didn't have one breath left in her, then she dropped.

She hit the ice-cold water and her lungs froze, her whole body became paralysed by the shock and then her head was above the water, the cold air spilled into her lungs as she gasped.

She pulled herself up onto a rocky ledge and gasped for air, she looked over her shoulder at the icy pool she'd fallen into and shuddered. The pool was crystal clear and she could see things moving at the bottom, she recoiled away from the water and pulled her knees up to her chest.

She looked around but there was no way out, it was like being in a rocky cave but without the entrance, it was just her and the things in the pool and Roxanne felt truly scared for the first time.

She looked up to see a grey cloaked figure watching her from the other side of the pool, there was no way for her to get to them or them to get to her without going back into that water. She looked up again to see the figure gliding across the water to her; the water remained still, not even a ripple when the hem of the cloak collided with it.

She began to wonder if she'd died when the sand had swallowed her, perhaps she had suffocated and death was coming to claim her. She shimmied back till her back hit the rocky wall and stared up at the figure. She couldn't see a face but that just made the figure more menacing, the cloak floated around the figure despite the lack of a breeze.

The figure raised one arm and pointed to Roxanne, it's arm then slowly moved till it was pointing at the pool, it wanted her to get back in there,

' I'm not going in there' she said her voice shaking from the cold, the figure pointed more forcefully at her then the pool again. She remembered Shen's words, she would be tested and she would be scared but he had made it out alive and so could she.

Roxanne stood up shakily and walked over to the edge of the ghostly waters and looked back at the figure,

' What happens when I get in?' the figure pointed at the water and she looked down to see the water had rippled slightly, a pale white hand covered in opaque, pearly scales emerged from the water.

She looked past the hand and down the white arm, following it until she reached the face, white hair swirled around the tiny face, the only feature that stood out to Roxanne were the bright blue eyes that blinked at her. She took a deep breath and took the creatures pale, cold hand. The creature didn't pull her like she had expected it to it just seemed to be helping her into the water. She felt oddly calm as the water rose to her eyes and then she was under, she waited for the cold to spike her body and for her lungs to freeze up again but it didn't come.

She sank down into the water with the figure, which she thought might be a woman, until she felt more hands. They stroked her back and caressed her body all the while pulling her down further into the cold, still water.

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	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: What The Water Gave Me

Roxanne felt hazy; like she was half asleep and couldn't wake up. The white cloth of the dress floated lazily around her in the still water and she finally closed her eyes.

_ She saw blood on her hands. Her face was damp with tears. Smoke was engulfing her and scorching heat ripped the air as flames surrounded her. She looked down at the body of the older woman, her face pale and her yes wide and glassy. Roxanne knelt down and looked at the younger bloodied hand that was where her own should have been. She reached over to the woman's hand and tugged a ring off her finger. Shouts filled the air and she felt someone grab her from behind and carry her away from the woman._

Roxanne emerged from the water; she coughed and spat out the cold, salty water that had been filling her lungs. She clung to the edge of the pool and tried to breath despite the cold that was paralysing her.

Her surroundings had changed; the cold, icy air was replaced with a more humid environment. She heaved herself out of the pool and looked at the mossy ground. The walls sparkled despite the darkness and she lay down on the soft ground. It took her a moment to realise she had her right hand clenched into a fist; she opened her numb hand and watched something drop onto her stomach. She wiggled her fingers to try and get some feeling back before she attempted to pick it up. She fumbled on her stomach until she found it, the ring she had just moments ago seen a younger version of herself steal from a dead woman.

Roxanne groaned, she had been a thief, a cheap pickpocket who robbed the dead,

' It belongs to you' a faint voice murmured from the darkness

' Because I stole it' she said, her voice stuttering from the cold that was slowly ebbing away from her body,

' No…I was mine and it was always meant for my daughter' Roxanne slowly turned her head to see the woman from her vision sitting on the other side of the pool,

' Who are you?' she whispered hoarsely, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it,

' Your mother dear' she looked at the pale blonde hair that was so much like her own, she saw her eyes and her porcelain skin. Tia had been right she did look like her mother,

' Did I do that to you?' she asked timidly

' No…you didn't kill me my darling' she smiled softly and her eyes glittered like the walls of the cave,

' What happened to you?' she said, she wanted to sit up but her body felt heavy,

' The same thing that happened to you dear…I just didn't have your luck' she raised a delicate hand and tapped her temple. Roxanne felt her eyes burn and squeezed them shut.

She didn't open her eyes again. She slipped into sleep as a delicate hand slipped the ring onto her middle finger of her right hand,

' Keep it safe my darling'.

Vines of ivy began to spring up from the ground and entwine Roxanne's body until she was completely covered and then the ground slowly swallowed her.

_ Faces swam in and out of her vision, Tia, Shen, Teague, her mother and others she couldn't place._

_She was on board a ship at the helm, her hand gripped it tightly and it felt natural to her. The waters around her raged and a crew scurried about securing the sails, their shouts carried back to her on the bellowing wind._

_She was back in the sacred gardens, a younger Shen shouted at her and hit her on the head with his walking stick to discipline her._

_She was standing atop a cliff facing a woman's whose face was obscured by an immense amount of flaming red hair. The woman pointed a gun at her, a shrill laugh escaping her lips as she fired and Roxanne fell down. Down into the cyan depths that engulfed her as she swayed in and out of consciousness and her temple burned._

Roxanne opened her eyes and squinted at the bright light, she raised her hand to shield her eyes from the light and saw the ring on antique gold on her finger. She turned her hand around and looked at the shining, creamy opal that was set elegantly into the gold.

It had been real.

She sat up and turned around. She was back on the beach and her younger self was standing a few feet away behind her,

' That's all you can be shown…the rest is for you to discover' she turned and walked away. Roxanne didn't try to stop her, she knew there was no point, she was done here.

She changed back into her own clothes and walked down the beach, she spotted a figure sitting in the distance and wondered if she had stumbled into someone else's place in the locker.

She got closer and a smile broke out on her face, Shen sat looking out to sea and banging his walking stick against the sand. When he saw her walking down the beach to him he smiled knowingly,

' Finished already…what did the water give you?' he said standing up

' How long have I been gone?'

' A day…you got off lightly' he said walking down the small sand dune to her,

' Oh just a day, it was strange…I'm not sure how to even describe it?'

' Then it's best to keep it to yourself' he said smiling she smiled back and pushed her hair out of her eyes, Shen's eyes widened and he grabbed her right hand,

' You saw her?' he sounded amazed as he seized her hand,

' My…my mother…yes' she watched Shen run his finger over the opal ring on her finger before he clasped her hand in his,

' Keep that safe' he said looking up at her almost pleadingly

' Where did she get it?' she said, he looked up and he and seemed to think for a moment before he sighed and released her hand,

' Your father' he said solemnly.

**My deepest apologies for the late update please review my lovelies x**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: There Should Be A Captain In There Somewhere

Roxanne and Shen walked along the beach together. She kept glancing at him as they walked,

' I'm not going to tell you Roxanne' he said quietly

' Tell me what? I didn't ask you anything'

' You want to know who your father is…it's not for me to tell you' she wanted to argue but decided against it.

They paused while Shen tried to get his bearings; Roxanne looked around and stopped dead when she felt something scurry across her foot. She looked down and saw a pale, almost stone-like looking crab running down the beach towards the sea.

She looked back and followed the markings in the sand where the crab had been running,

' Where are you going?' Shen said ambling after her

' I'm not sure…' she said as she continued to follow the tracks.

She and Shen crossed the pale sand until they came to a ship marooned in the dunes,

' I know this ship' Shen said walking over and placing a hand on the dark wooden body of the ship,

' How?' Roxanne asked staring up at the torn black sails that were fluttering in a non-existent breeze. She turned when Shen didn't answer and saw him pulling himself up a rope onto the deck. She sighed and followed him up the rope.

Roxanne climbed onto the deck and looked around, she couldn't see Shen anywhere. She looked around at the deserted ship and walked across the deck, up the stairs to the helm.

She ran her fingers over the rough wood of the helm and looked around at the endless pale sand surrounding her,

' Are you real?' a faint husky and slightly confused voice said behind her, Roxanne turned around slowly and looked at the man behind her.

He was taller then her, his eyes were ringed with smudgy kohl, his hair was plaited and dread locked but held down by a grubby red bandana and adorned with various charms and trinkets. He was tanned and had two plaits in his goatee beard but it was his eyes that held her gaze. They were so dark and deep but so haunted. He walked towards her and looked her up and down as she turned to fully face him,

' I know those eyes…' he said as he walked closer to her and raised a hand, she flinched slightly and her eyes darted around. He paused but raised his hand again and carefully pushed her hair off her face so he could see her more clearly,

' It can't be?' he furrowed his brow and stared at her, she pulled away from him but couldn't stop staring into his eyes,

' Jack…jack sparrow is that you?' she finally broke from his gaze at the sound of Shen's voice behind her,

' There should be a captain in there somewhere Shen' he said, his face breaking into a grin,

' He finally got you then?' Shen said taking no glee in the sentence at all,

' Doesn't he always…is that who I think it is?' he muttered pointing a finger at Roxanne. Shen nodded and smiled, jack raised his eyebrows as the ship lurched a little in the sand. They all gripped onto the ship as it began to move through the sand, Roxanne was closest to the edge so she leant over and saw hundreds of the stony looking crabs carrying the ship.

They moved at a slow pace through the dunes, Roxanne was keeping her distance from jack sparrow; she didn't like how he kept staring at her as if he'd seen a ghost. For all she knew perhaps he was.

She leant over the railing and watched the ship tossing aside the sand around it, she knew jack was next to her but she wouldn't turn to look at him,

' You look like your mother' he said quietly

' I wouldn't know' she muttered deliberately looking away from him,

' That says otherwise' he said tapping the ring on her finger,

' That's nothing' she said folding her arms so the ring wasn't visible

' You don't remember me do you love?' he said leaning against the railing and staring at her,

' Should I?'

' I get the feeling you don't really like me darling?'

' I don't know you'

' You'll warm up to me darling'

' Oh really and why is that?' she said turning to him

'One word love: curiosity. You want the truth, you want your memories and like it or not darling I'm in there somewhere' he smiled and walked away leaving Roxanne feeling more confused than ever.

_**Forgive me for taking so long to update**_

_**Please review xxx**_


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